The start of the 2024-25 NBA season is officially here. Make sure you check out the fantastic work of Jonathan Von Tobel, who writes up his best bets daily. Also, try and listen to A Numbers Game every morning, as Kelley Bydlon often dishes out his favorite NBA picks. But I’ll be giving out NBA best bets and player props here as often as possible, and I’ll also occasionally write up features on big news that shakes up the league. So, make sure you check out my work throughout the season. With that out of the way, let’s get into some NBA best bets and NBA player props for Saturday, November 2nd.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on November 2nd
NBA Best Bets Today – November 2nd
Memphis Grizzlies at Philadelphia 76ers – 7:30 pm ET
The Sixers are still without Joel Embiid and Paul George, but this is a game that they can win. Even without those guys, Philadelphia has a better adjusted offensive rating and adjusted defensive rating. This is also the third game in four nights for the Grizzlies, while the Sixers haven’t played since Wednesday. That’s a massive rest advantage for the home team. Philadelphia is 9-6 when playing with two days of rest under head coach Nick Nurse. Also, the Grizzlies don’t have anybody that can really handle the Tyrese Maxey assignment. The Sixers guard should turn in an awesome performance tonight, and his teammates should like this matchup as well. Memphis is allowing more 3s per game (15.5) than all but two teams this season.
Bet: Sixers ML (-102 – 1.5 units)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Clippers – 10:30 pm ET
This is a tough spot for the Thunder. Oklahoma City is playing the second night of a back-to-back, plus a third game in four nights. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is playings its third game in a row at home, and the team also had an off day yesterday. So, while the Thunder did blow the Blazers out last night, the Clippers will be better rested coming into this game. And this Los Angeles team has been feisty all year. The Clippers are actually 3-2 against the spread on the season.
Los Angeles is also 10th in the NBA in adjusted defensive rating (111.7), and this team has a lot of size and length to throw on a very good group of Oklahoma City perimeter players. My only concern is that the Clippers also have to go up against a Thunder team that is first in the NBA in adjusted offensive rating (106.9). Scoring on this group will be difficult. But James Harden should be able to find success in this matchup, and Norman Powell can help him. Also, this could be a game in which Ivica Zubac feasts around the basket. Oklahoma City went out and got Isaiah Hartenstein for these types of matchups, but he is still injured and won’t be back for another couple of weeks.
Bet: Clippers +6 (-108 – 1.5 units)
NBA Player Props Today – November 2nd
Sacramento Kings at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 pm ET
This is a very juicy play and I understand anybody that doesn’t want to bet it. However, Barrett has made at least two 3s in all three of the games he has played this season. Barrett has also knocked down a total of seven triples over the last two games. The Canadian just has the ultimate green light with the Raptors playing without several key players, and that should result in a big offensive performance against the Kings. Sacramento hasn’t looked terrible defensively to start the year, but we know that this team is weakest on that end of the floor. The Kings are also allowing more made 3s per game (14.2) than all but eight teams this year. This is just a good matchup for shooters. That might not be the best way to describe Barrett’s game, but he can stroke it. And for what it’s worth, Barrett did make two 3s in his only meeting with Sacramento last season.
Bet: Barrett Over 1.5 Made 3s (-154)
Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs – 8:00 pm ET
Chris Paul is starting to look more comfortable as a scorer. Over the last three games, he’s averaging 16.3 points per game. He is also averaging 9.5 assists per game over the last two games, and he has been rebounding all season. With that in mind, I don’t see any reason not to turn to Paul to go Over 20.5 points, rebounds and assists tonight. He has gone Over this mark in each of the last two games, and his season averages clear this number.
I know Paul is going up against a very good Timberwolves team, but how much energy will Minnesota have? The Wolves put a lot into a late comeback win over the Nuggets last night, and they could come out a little flat after having had to travel to San Antonio for this back-to-back. Paul will take advantage of that as both a scorer and a passer.
Bet: Paul Over 20.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-120 – 1.5 units)
_________________________________________________
2024-25 NBA Record: 28-23 (+3.98 units)
